Golf viewfinder
The big advantage of the Laser rangefinder is its flexibility and ability to allow the golfer to pin point any object on the course and define its distance. To aid in the golfers targeting with the laser rangefinder many are equipped with up to five times magnification lenses. Another feature some have is a ‘PinSeeker’ ability which allows the device to focus on the pin and not background objects. Slope is determined by the distance from level the reflection is upon returning to the device. Some laser rangefinders include an internal ‘inclinometer’ which can determine the slope of your target area. The time in which it took the laser to reflect back to the device is used to calculate the distance. A laser is beamed to the target, like the pin, and reflects back to the rangefinder. The Laser Rangefinder uses a laser beam aimed at the target to determine its distance. On the flip side because it is based on satellite imaging of the golf courses then you’re restricted to what the manufacturer of the device has in their database. Meaning you can figure out the distance between you and the pin even with a group of trees in the way, something you can’t do with laser. Others even allow you to define a point on the course you want to know the distance of.Ī key advantage to the GPS rangefinder is that it is based off satellite mapping and doesn’t require you to aim the device at a target. Some provide further detail which include distances to hazards, front and back of the green, or landmarks on the course. When you load a course it will give you distances to the pin on each hole. Some GPS rangefinders even require a membership fee to access course maps.
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Some devices come pre-loaded with thousands of courses while others will require you to download them from their website. Using satellite mapping, some GPS rangefinders offer an overview of the course layout.īefore using a GPS rangefinder on a particular course, you must first make sure the course mapping is loaded on your device.
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The distance is determined by the GPS rangefinder receiving a signal from a series of satellites which then calculate where the device is and extrapolates the distance to the target. The GPS, Global Positioning System, Rangefinder uses a network of satellites to establish the distance from the device to a certain place on the course. Let’s take a look at how each type of rangefinder works and the advantages and drawbacks each one presents. There’s GPS based rangefinders, Laser rangefinders and Hybrid rangefinders. There are three styles of golf rangefinders currently available to assist your game. Golfers are now reaping the benefits of technology to help with the age old question: “How far is it?” The golf rangefinder is an exquisite piece of technology that can help a player determine the distance to an object on the course. Golf clubs are now composed of steel or graphite and golf balls have rubber cores. While the essence of the game remains the same, the equipment and tools have vastly improved. The game of golf has evolved quite a bit from the days of Old Tom Morris hitting ‘featherie’ golf balls with hickory sticks in the late 1800s. If you are playing a scramble or tournament that you are not playing the course holes in order, you can manually choose the next hole or target for the unit to measure distance from.How They Work: Golf Rangefinders – GPS & Laser When you are complete with the selected hole, most units will automatically shift to the next hole on the course.
Some courses may also have intermediary distances embedded in the GPS mapping of the course. Most GPS rangefinders have the distance to the pin embedded as an option. Select the hole you are going to play and the available target.
Many of the units sold on the market today require a monthly subscription service. GPS Range Finder Step 1įor a GPS rangefinder, load the course you are going to play prior to leaving your house from your computer. If you have not successfully locked on to a valid target, then there will be an error display requiring you to take the range again. View the distance read-out on the laser rangefinder display. Aim the rangefinder at the object you are determining the distance of through the view port. Laser Range Finders Step 1įor a laser rangefinder, the object to determine distance from yourself must be in view. They can take longer to get a distance measurement than a GPS-based rangefinder and are only as accurate as the golfer using the device. Laser rangefinders, on the other hand, do not require the course to be mapped. They require the course to be mapped and sometimes require you to pay a monthly subscription fee, depending on the type of service that you choose. GPS rangefinders require less time to determine your distance to the hole or other points on the golf course because they use measurements to known points about the course.